PSE meat

Pale, Soft and Exudative (PSE) meat results from the denaturing of proteins caused by rapid pH decline after slaughter and raised carcass temperature. PSE meat often comes from animals which have had stressful handling, but a heritable case of PSE meat is also well known in pigs. PSE meat has low palatability and a reduced capacity to bind water.

The decrease in pH will change the electrical charges between the myofilaments, and hence the space between them (water holding capacity). The water holding capacity increases with increasing pH. Photo: DMRI